The present disclosure relates to soil and water treatment compositions, and specifically to a composition used to treat soil and/or irrigation water used for growing plants.
Irrigation water containing excessive levels of sodium, carbonate, and bicarbonate ions can pose major problems for farmers, ranchers, turf-grass managers, and crop managers. Calcium plays a key role in soil structure. Calcium and other polyvalent cations such as magnesium, are strongly attracted to negative sites on soil surfaces, where they form ion bridges that hold soil particles together, restrict swelling, and prevent dispersion. Thus, calcium, magnesium, and similar polyvalent cations are a contributor to positive soil quality. However, carbonates and other anions in water have a high affinity for calcium and magnesium. This chemical attraction can result in the formation of insoluble salts and prevents calcium from being available to the soil and the plants. The buildup of insoluble salts in water and soil contributes to decreased soil aeration, soil percolation, and soil drainage; and negatively affects crops grown in the soil. In addition to overall poor soil quality, the accumulation of monovalent cations (e.g., sodium) in soil can impart toxicity to plants, nutrient deficiencies, and relatively high pH (e.g., pH≥8).
Known techniques and practices for removing salts and/or alkalis are often expensive and relatively ineffective. One such technique is amending the soil by incorporation of cattle manure and/or green manures into the topsoil to maintain a porous condition that will induce infiltration of water into the soil. In high temperature climates, typical of irrigated arid regions, these organic amendments decay rapidly and their influence on soil properties is lost. Another technique involves the application of gypsum, sulfuric acid, or elemental sulfur to facilitate the removal of sodium. This technique requires large quantities of materials (typically on the order of tons/acre), considerable manpower and fuel, and is only temporarily effective. Yet another technique previously employed is the mechanical practice of chiseling, deep plowing, and slip plowing to improve water movement into and through the soil profile. This practice is of a relatively short-term benefit because the soils tend to slake down and close up after being irrigated requiring reworking on a yearly basis.
Accordingly, among the various aspects of the present disclosure, therefore, is a composition that can reduce salt buildup in soil, improve soil aeration, percolation, and drainage, and/or liberate polyvalent cations, such as calcium and magnesium, from precipitates thereby increasing the accessibility of the polyvalent cations to the soil.
Disclosed is an acidifying composition comprising an organic acid. The acidifying composition may be used to control and manage conditions in irrigation water and soil to prevent and treat sodic deterioration of soil structure. Treatment of soil and/or irrigation water leads to improved growth and quality of plants grown in the soil treated with the acidifying composition. In some embodiments, the acidifying composition includes a coordinating agent. In some embodiments, the coordinating agent is a chelator. The acidifying composition can be a liquid or a solid. In some embodiments, the acidifying composition is mixed with water to form a solution. In some embodiments, the acidifying composition includes gypsum or lime. In some embodiments, the acidifying composition is mixed with gypsum or lime.
Also disclosed is a method of promoting plant growth, conditioning soil, fertilizing plants, or conditioning irrigation water, where the method comprises mixing an acidifying composition with water, and applying the mixture of acidifying composition and water to soil, wherein at least one plant is planted in the soil. In some embodiments, the method includes adding a source of calcium to the soil.
Further disclosed is a method of conditioning soil used to grow plants, promoting plant growth, or fertilizing plants, where the method comprises applying an acidifying composition to soil, where the soil is used to grow plants; and applying water to the soil. In some embodiments, the method includes adding a source of calcium to the soil.
Briefly, therefore one aspect of the present disclosure is an acidifying composition for water and/or soil treatment wherein the acidifying composition comprising an acid, a base, and an amino acid. In one such embodiment, the acid comprises a mineral acid, an organic acid or a combination of mineral acid(s) and/or organic acid(s). In another such embodiment, the base is ammonia or an organic base. In another such embodiment, the amino acid is an L-amino acid. In another such embodiment, the acid is a mixture of acids and the base is ammonia or an amine base. In another such embodiment, the acid is a mixture of acids and the amino acid is an L-amino acid. In another such embodiment, the acid is a mixture of acids, the base is ammonia or an amine base and the amino acid is an L-amino acid.
A further aspect the present disclosure is an acidifying composition for water and/or soil treatment wherein the acidifying composition comprises an acid, a base, and an additive. In one such embodiment, the acid comprises a mineral acid, an organic acid or a combination of mineral acid(s) and/or organic acid(s). In another such embodiment, the base is ammonia or an organic base. In another such embodiment, the additive is a plant growth regulator. In another such embodiment, the additive is a plant extract. In another such embodiment, the additive is a surfactant. In another such embodiment, the additive is a saponin. In another such embodiment, the acid is a mixture of acids and the base is ammonia or an amine base. In another such embodiment, the acid is a mixture of acids and the additive is a plant extract. In another such embodiment, the acid is a mixture of acids and the additive is a saponin. In another such embodiment, the additive comprises a Yucca extract. In another such embodiment, the acid is a mixture of acids, the base is ammonia or an amine base and the additive is a Yucca extract.
A further aspect of the present disclosure is an acidifying composition for water and/or soil treatment wherein the composition comprises an acid, a base, an amino acid and an additive. In one such embodiment, the acid comprises a mineral acid, an organic acid or a combination of mineral acid(s) and/or organic acid(s). In another such embodiment, the base is ammonia or an organic base. In another such embodiment, the amino acid is an L-amino acid. In another such embodiment, the additive is a plant growth regulator. In another such embodiment, the additive is a plant extract. In another such embodiment, the additive is a surfactant. In another such embodiment, the additive is a saponin. In another such embodiment, the acid is a mixture of acids and the base is ammonia or an amine base. In another such embodiment, the acid is a mixture of acids and the amino acid is an L-amino acid. In another such embodiment, the acid is a mixture of acids and the additive is a plant extract. In another such embodiment, the acid is a mixture of acids, the base is ammonia or an amine base, the amino acid is an L-amino acid and the additive is a Yucca extract.
A further aspect of the present disclosure is an acidifying composition for water and/or soil treatment wherein the composition comprises an acid mixture, a base, an amino acid and a natural surfactant. In one such embodiment, the acid mixture comprises citric acid. In another such embodiment, the base is ammonia or an organic base. In another such embodiment, the amino acid is an L-amino acid. In another such embodiment, the additive is a plant growth regulator. In another such embodiment, the additive is a plant extract. In another such embodiment, the additive is a surfactant. In another such embodiment, the additive is a saponin. In another such embodiment, the acid is a mixture of acids comprising citric acid and the base is ammonia or an amine base. In another such embodiment, the acid is a mixture of acids comprising citric acid and the amino acid is an L-amino acid. In another such embodiment, the acid is a mixture of acids comprising citric acid and the additive comprises Yucca extract. In another such embodiment, the acid is a mixture of acids comprising citric acid, the base is an amine base, the amino acid is an L-amino acid and the additive is a Yucca extract.
A further aspect of the present disclosure is an acidifying composition for water and/or soil treatment in which the composition comprises an acid mixture, a base, an amino acid and a natural surfactant. In one such embodiment, the acid mixture comprises glycolic acid. In another such embodiment, the organic base is an amine base. In another such embodiment, the amino acid is an L-amino acid. In another such embodiment, the additive is a plant growth regulator. In another such embodiment, the additive is a plant extract. In another such embodiment, the additive is a surfactant. In another such embodiment, the additive is a saponin. In another such embodiment, the acid is a mixture of acids comprising glycolic acid and the base is ammonia or an amine base. In another such embodiment, the acid is a mixture of acids comprising glycolic acid and the amino acid is an L-amino acid. In another such embodiment, the acid is a mixture of acids comprising glycolic acid and the additive is a Yucca extract. In another such embodiment, the acid is a mixture of acids comprising glycolic acid, the base is an amine base, the amino acid is an L-amino acid and the additive is a Yucca extract.
A further aspect of the present disclosure is an acidifying composition for water and/or soil treatment in which the composition comprises an acid mixture, a base, an amino acid and an additive. In one such embodiment, the acid mixture comprises glycolic acid and citric acid. In another such embodiment, the base is ammonia or an organic base. In another such embodiment, the amino acid is an L-amino acid. In another such embodiment, the additive is a plant growth regulator. In another such embodiment, the additive is a plant extract. In another such embodiment, the additive is a surfactant. In another such embodiment, the additive is a saponin. In another such embodiment, the acid is a mixture of acids comprising glycolic acid and citric acid and the base is ammonia or an amine base. In another such embodiment, the acid is a mixture of acids comprising glycolic acid and citric acid and the amino acid is an L-amino acid. In another such embodiment, the acid is a mixture of acids comprising glycolic acid and citric acid and the additive is a plant extract. In another such embodiment, the acid is a mixture of acids comprising glycolic acid and citric acid, the base is an amine base, the amino acid is an L-amino acid and the additive is a Yucca extract.
The foregoing and other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art from the following more particular description of the invention and the accompanying drawings.